Barrel-type internal combustion engine

Abstract

An engine, e.g., a cam drive, barrel-type internal combustion engine, that includes: a main drive shaft defining a longitudinal axis; a sinusoidal main drive cam rigidly attached to the main drive shaft; a plurality of cam members that are in contact with the sinusoidal main drive cam and that are configured to follow the sinusoidal main drive cam, wherein rotation of the sinusoidal main drive cam corresponds to reciprocating linear movement of each of the plurality of cam members in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis; for each cam member, a pair of linear pistons disposed on opposite sides of the cam member for reciprocating linear movement within respective cylinder bores.

1 . An engine, comprising:
 a main drive shaft defining a longitudinal axis, the main drive shaft including a first drive shaft portion detachably coupled to a second drive shaft portion;   a sinusoidal main drive cam rigidly attached to the main drive shaft;   a plurality of cam members that are in contact with the sinusoidal main drive cam and that are configured to follow the sinusoidal main drive cam, rotation of the sinusoidal main drive cam corresponding to reciprocating linear movement of each of the plurality of cam members in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis; and   for each cam member, a pair of linear pistons disposed on opposite sides of the cam member for reciprocating linear movement within respective cylinder bores.   
     
     
         2 . The engine of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second drive shaft portions are heat treated. 
     
     
         3 . The engine of  claim 1 , wherein the cam members are rollers. 
     
     
         4 . The engine of  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder bores are radially disposed around the main drive shaft in a generally circular pattern. 
     
     
         5 . The engine of  claim 4 , further comprising a block/head assembly including intake valves configured to supply intake air to respective cylinder bores. 
     
     
         6 . The engine of  claim 5 , further comprising a block/head assembly including exhaust valves configured to exhaust respective cylinder bores. 
     
     
         7 . The engine of  claim 5 , wherein each valve is held in a pre-stressed closed position by a compressed spring. 
     
     
         8 . An engine, comprising:
 a main drive shaft defining a longitudinal axis;   a sinusoidal main drive cam non-rotatably attached to the main drive shaft;   four cylinder bores symmetrically arranged both radially and circumferentially about the longitudinal axis, a first portion of each cylinder bore being disposed on a first side of the sinusoidal main drive cam and a second portion of each cylinder bore being disposed on a second side opposite the first side of the sinusoidal main drive cam;   a linear piston disposed in the first and second portions of each one of the four cylinder bores; and   mounted to each piston, a cam member that engages the sinusoidal main drive cam,   wherein reciprocating linear movement of each piston and its respective cam member in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis causes the respective cam member to rotate the sinusoidal main drive cam and the main drive shaft, such that the forces generated within the engine are substantially balanced so as to minimize engine vibration.   
     
     
         9 . The engine of  claim 8 , wherein the cam members are rollers. 
     
     
         10 . The engine of  claim 8 , further comprising a block/head assembly including intake valves configured to supply intake air to respective cylinder bores. 
     
     
         11 . The engine of  claim 8 , further comprising a block/head assembly including exhaust valves configured to exhaust respective cylinder bores. 
     
     
         12 . The engine of  claim 11 , wherein each valve is held in a pre-stressed closed position by a compressed spring. 
     
     
         13 . An engine, comprising:
 a main drive shaft defining a longitudinal axis;   a sinusoidal main drive cam non-rotatably attached to the main drive shaft;   four cylinder bores symmetrically arranged both radially and circumferentially about the longitudinal axis, a first portion of each cylinder bore being disposed on a first side of the sinusoidal main drive cam and a second portion of each one cylinder bore being disposed on a second side opposite the first side of the sinusoidal main drive cam;   a linear piston disposed in the first and second portions of each one of the four cylinder bores;   mounted to each piston, a cam member that engages the sinusoidal main drive cam, wherein reciprocating linear movement of each piston and its respective cam member in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis causes the respective cam member to rotate the sinusoidal main drive cam and the main drive shaft, such that the forces generated within the engine are substantially balanced so as to minimize thrust forces on the main drive shaft.   
     
     
         14 . The engine of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of rollers via which the piston engages the sinusoidal drive cam. 
     
     
         15 . The engine of  claim 14 , further comprising a block/head assembly including intake valves configured to supply intake air to a respective cylinder bore. 
     
     
         16 . The engine of  claim 15 , further comprising a block/head assembly including exhaust valves configured to exhaust a respective cylinder bore. 
     
     
         17 . The engine of  claim 15 , wherein each valve is held in a pre-stressed closed position by a compressed spring. 
     
     
         18 . The engine of  claim 16 , wherein each valve is held in a pre-stressed closed position by a compressed spring.